Star Fox: Ballad Of The Phoenix

by DeltaERB

Tyler Jacob Koen; Detroit's best street racer. After he and his crew are contracted to steal a certain car, TJ finds himself stranded in a faraway galaxy. With no crew and a sliver of hope rapidly fading away, TJ will do whatever he has to do in order to get back home. Even if that means crossing lines he never thought he would have to.

9. Let's Go Shopping

Act 1

Chapter 9

"Let's Go Shopping"

~::::~

Corneria City was nothing short of beautiful, a jaw-dropping vista that meshed steel and nature together. The superhighway snaked through various forests and lakes en route to the heart of the city. Large cliffs produced waterfalls with sparkling clear water crashing just below the road. It was hard for TJ to keep his eyes forward, as the sights demanded his attention around the clock.

Rounding a long bend that coiled around one of Corneria's many mountain ranges was the jewel of the Lylat System, Corneria City. From the military base, it always seemed like a mirage. Steel structures touched the blue skies for as far as the eye could see. To the right of the superhighway was an ocean that expanded over the horizon, the waters as crystal clear as the waterfalls. Multiple green dots in the distance signified other cities, but they were miniature compared to Corneria City. There was a feeling of grandiosity in the air as the immaculate city swallowed the superhighway into it. LED billboards advertising various products began to litter the sides of the road, and the traffic became more dense.

Despite the congestion getting thicker, TJ was amazed at how clean everything was. The familiar blacktop had been replaced by some form of vantablack material, yet allowed the tires to hug the road consistently. No potholes, no cracked asphalt, no wear or tear. The itch was calling again. TJ managed to subdue it, keeping his speed in check as he began to approach the heart of the city.

Eventually, Bill pulled off of the superhighway, with TJ following him down the offramp. The street racer could only imagine what kinds of conversations were happening in that car, but it was impossible for him to think about anything other than the view of the city. Even deep in the heart of Corneria City, it was immaculate. The ideal city. People freely walked on the sidewalks, stopping at various storefronts or high-rises to work. Multiple monorails zipped above the road, scores of people lining up to quickly take their seats on the public transit. It was a maze that ran like clockwork.

Pulling up to one of the many red lights, TJ let his eyes wander a bit more. Looking to his right, a crowd of people began to stare at his car. A few of the anthropomorphic inhabitants pulled out their phones and began to take pictures of the Viper. Looking up at the red light, TJ chuckled as he put his foot on the clutch before revving the engine. The noise bounced through the city, leaving the bystanders shocked and wide-eyed. The light turned green, and as Bill's SUV began to drive forward, TJ waited a few extra seconds before slamming down on the gas pedal. The Viper left a massive cloud of smoke in the wake of the burnout, giving TJ a wide grin as he once more stuck close to Bill's SUV.

After a few more minutes of stop-and-go traffic, TJ followed Bill's SUV into a designated drop-off area in front of a massive building. A shiver went up TJ's spine as he realized the height of the building, craning his neck as he pulled behind Bill. Shaped like a massive bullet, the "tip" of the impressive structure seemingly balanced a large metal disk high above the streets, appearing as an engineer's worst nightmare and best dream at the same time. Putting the Viper in park, TJ shut the supercar off before he stepped out, the sudden sight of heavily armed guards approaching the SUV making his stomach drop like a carnival ride. However, as soon as he noticed Bill ordering them around when he stepped out of his SUV, the pit disappeared. TJ watched as everyone piled out of the SUV before he quickly locked up his Viper and fell in line with the rest of the group.

Flashing a badge in his wallet, the guards opened the door for Bill, allowing him to usher the group inside. Looking around the foyer of the building, TJ's breath was taken away. Chandeliers hung above the pristine white marble flooring. Couches were dotted around the room, perfect for guards and dignitaries to rest their feet while they waited for their next assignment or mission. The walls were covered in paintings of various military victories, excursions, and soldiers who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Looking over the paintings, TJ noticed a familiar-looking vulpine, but could not put his finger on who it was. He looked like Fox but was wearing a pair of dark aviator sunglasses that had obscured his eyes to the world. With a snicker, TJ jogged up to Fox and nudged him in the shoulder while pointing at the frame. "Yo, look at Sunglasses there. When are you gonna start rockin' a pair of those?"

Fox turned to face the painting TJ was pointing at, his face dropping instantly to a neutral glare as he quickly shifted his gaze to TJ. "That's my father."

TJ's eyes went wide as he slowly started to nod, a sly smile now on his lips. "Ah, I get it, don't wanna copy your old man?"

"My father is dead."

The revelation caused TJ to pause for a split second, a look of concern and confusion warping his face. Before he could reply, Fox was already standing in the elevator with Bill and Star Wolf, waiting for TJ to enter. Shaking himself out of his mind's new entanglement, TJ quickly jogged into the elevator, taking his place as Bill hit a button and swiped a keycard on the control panel. For the first time, TJ felt the elevator activate, making him stumble back into Wolf by accident. Turning around, TJ quickly realized that he was less than an inch away from a snarling wolf standing on two legs, causing him to quickly utter an apology as he pressed himself against the far wall.

After a few more seconds of travel time, the elevator slowly came to a halt. As soon as the doors opened, TJ was the first one out, stumbling into what appeared to be a reception area for a high-rise office in the city. Thick rugs and bright lights coated the room, illuminating the area. Directly ahead of the group was a massive mahogany door, engraved with all the glamour befitting a general of the armed forces. A poodle in a pantsuit sat behind a circular desk directly in front of the door, rapidly typing away at the computer in front of her.

To the right of TJ sat a few sofas, where a few of the canine guards were relaxing. Much like the guards from downstairs, they were dressed in gray and blue combat armor with rifles slung around their shoulders. Blue helmets with a yellow arrow pointing down the middle of their foreheads directed TJ's sight to the opaque visor that covered their eyes. The smiles on their faces lasted for a few seconds as soon as Wolf and his crew exited that elevator. The guards shot to their feet, quickly drawing their weapons into their hands as they refused to take their eyes off their new potential targets. Wolf noticed the change in behavior and blew one of the guards a mocking kiss, only for the guard to deepen his snarl.

Before the hostilities could rise any further, Bill approached the receptionist. "Hey Linda, can you let the old dog know we're here?"

The poodle nodded with a smile before pausing her typing and depressing a button on her desk. "Sir, Captain Grey has the four VIPs you requested outside now."

"Thank you, Linda. Please send them in," came a deep voice over the intercom. Nodding, Linda touched underneath her desk as the sound of a lock disengaging from the large door boomed throughout the floor before she restarted her typing. Taking point, Wolf was the first to walk in as the rest followed suit. Once all four entered the office, the door locked behind them, and the silhouette of a bloodhound wearing a red military uniform and standing behind a desk was front and center. His back was turned to the group as he cast his eyes out the massive window wall in his office and over Corneria City. To his left and right were two canines in freshly pressed suits, refusing to blink even once. Their concealed weapons were visible enough to make a statement, something that only TJ seemed to be affected by.

"Wolfgang O'Donnell, Panther Caruso, Leon Powalski, and Tyler Koen. Please, take a seat." The hound requested, pointing to four chairs situated on the opposite side of the desk. Taking his word, the group sat down one by one, assuming different poses in each chair. The bloodhound proceeded to spin his chair around and take a seat, folding his paws as he looked over the four with glaring eyes. "Very well then, let us cut to the chase," Pepper stated, adjusting his red cap and staring down Star Wolf. "You three would wish your bounties to be erased by means of rehabilitation?" Pepper asked.

Wolf leaned back in his chair and grinned. "That's right, big dog," he replied with a toothy grin. Pepper tilted his cap down as he dug into his desk and pulled out three stacks of paper, two of them thick as phonebooks and the last one relatively light but still lengthy.

"These are the reasons why your bounties are so high. These stacks of paper have every crime you have committed against not only Corneria but the other planets in the system as well. Don't forget who you pledged your loyalties to over ten years ago, Mr. O'Donnell and Mr. Powalski." TJ and Panther looked over the papers, slacked-jawed. TJ had never seen a rap sheet that long, let alone twice. Panther was surprised by how much the two did compared to his relatively thin stack. "Now, Mr. Caruso. Yours I can clear quite easily. It isn't too high, and your crimes are pretty forgivable," Pepper informed with a smooth tone.

His tone quickly shifted as his gaze fell upon the lupine and chameleon. "But you two will be much harder. You allied yourselves with Andross, and have caused a ruckus throughout the system ever since. Tell me, why should I clear your bounties at all? As far as I'm concerned, my guards can take you away in a split-second, and I would be applauded for it," he coldly stated, staring a hole through Wolf and Leon. "So, give me a reason to not place all three of you in cuffs and have you hauled off to the Macbeth Maximum Security Penitentiary."

Wolf shuffled in his seat a bit, before looking back at the dog. "The pup tru..." He was cut off as Pepper frowned at the nickname. "Fox trusts us."

The frown still remained on Pepper's face as he began to glare out of the window. "Yes, he does," he began, folding his arms in the process. "That is a clear flaw within the McCloud bloodline. They are too trusting. They take everyone at face value, and even with Ms. Krystal he still takes most people for their word. I will need more substantial information to convince me."

"Did you forget who rushed into the Aparoid homeworld with Star Fox and assisted in taking down the Queen?" Leon asked, glaring at the General.

"And don't forget who was there on the invasion of Corneria to fight off the bugs, as well as save your tail," Wolf added.

"We also helped keep the Orbital Gate safe before delivering the counterattack," Panther finalized.

Pepper nodded, rubbing old wounds under his uniform that had been caused by the bugs that day. Taking a deep breath, he centered his gaze. "Those were noble deeds. It does take a lot of courage to charge headfirst into the unknown, whether for selfish or selfless reasons" The compliment was short-lived as his mood suddenly shot into a scowl, gazing into the eyes of the lizard, feline, and lupine. "But that does not change public opinion on you three. The rest of Lylat sees you as pure evil, and some have even called for your execution. What makes you think that Lylat will forgive what you have done?"

"We only did it for the money, same as anyone else would to live. Why do you think organized crime is so popular? That was our shot at the big time, and we took it," Wolf defended with honesty coating his voice. Pepper sighed and adjusted his cap, giving a dark shadow over his eyes.

"And if someone similar comes up with a larger paycheck, you'll turn your backs on Corneria again?"

Pepper's question caused Wolf's thoughts to stop dead in their tracks, his mind racing to come up with some form of excuse. Before he could choke on his foot in his mouth, Leon jumped in for the save.

"We were young and misguided, General. Andrew fed us propaganda and Pigma entrapped us with ideals of riches at any cost. Wolf had been abandoned by your military and Cornerians were not exactly accepting of someone with a Venomian background. What reason did we have back then to ally with you?" Pepper's interest was piqued as Leon continued. "At the end of the war, we barely escaped. It was either piracy or ending up in a chain gang for being on the losing team. We choose the former. We are not bloodthirsty monsters. We are professionals, and have no problems offering our services to you."

Pepper steepled his fingers, leaning forward in his chair to continue his interrogation. "And what if a contract you take with Star Fox has you cross those you have worked with in the past?"

Leon's face remained as stoic as ever. "It would simply be business. Those that live lives such as ours understand that already."

"Hmm. You raise good points, Mr. Powalski. I can see why you are the brains of Star Wolf," Pepper complimented. Leon kept his icy visage, refusing to show any shred of emotion. After a few silent seconds, Pepper sighed and placed the rap sheets back on his desk. He pressed a button on the side of his desk and leaned in. "Linda, would you please pass down an executive order for an immediate termination of the bounties belonging to Wolfgang O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, and Panther Caruso?"

The voice seemed hesitant on the other end but quickly responded. "Yes sir. Sending it through now."

With another sigh, the General stood up and placed his paws palms down on the table, before staring a hole in the heads of the trio. "Don't think that you are free just yet, however," he announced, to which each member responded with quizzical stares. "I am placing you in the care of Star Fox. During your stay with them, they are to accompany you on any trips off the planet and will be keeping a watchful eye over your activities. Only when I receive word from Fox and only Fox will you be allowed to split from his team. Do I make myself clear?"

Wolf nodded. "Yeah, I hear you."

"Good, then the matter is settled. Do not make me regret this decision, Wolfgang. Or Star Fox will be the least of your worries." Pressing a button underneath his desk, Pepper nodded. "You three are free to leave now." With a wide smirk, Wolf stood up from his chair and shoved his hands in his pockets before making for the door, prompting his wingmen to stand up and do the same.

Deciding that was his cue as well, TJ stood up and began walking, only to be stopped by the hound. "Please remain where you stand, Mr. Koen." Pepper ordered as the door slammed shut behind him. Seeing no other option, TJ glued his feet to where he stood, turning around as he swallowed a nervous lump in his throat. Pepper glared at him, before smiling and slowly standing up. His face had morphed entirely, and he now resembled a friendly grandpa rather than a drill sergeant. "Relax, son! There's nothing to be worried about," Pepper reassured, prompting TJ to become slightly at ease but still on edge.

"So..." TJ began, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Why'd you wanna see me?"

Pepper sighed as he looked out of the window, overviewing the entire city. The city was bustling with activity, with people out and about, dining at restaurants, relaxing in the sun, or even just working. It gave Pepper an air of needed protection, how these people needed it so that no threat could interfere with their daily lives. It was taxing. He motioned for TJ to stand by his side by the window, and he complied. Raising his paw, he pointed to the horizon, a range of grassy mountains and hills far off and out of city limits. "Do you see those mountains back there?" He asked TJ, who squinted for a bit before nodding. "Just beyond those mountains lies a mass graveyard. It is a burial ground for those who lost their lives in the Lylat Wars, an event that I hope you are familiar with by now. In that yard lies millions of souls, souls of soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire." Turning to TJ, Pepper continued his lecture. "That mass graveyard is where the first shots were fired during the initial hours of the war. Had it not been for Fox and his team spearheading a suicidal counterattack, well, I try not to think of the possibilities that entails."

TJ nodded, putting his hands in his pockets as he turned back to face the older canine. "That's cool an' all, but what's that gotta do with me?"

Pepper placed his paw on TJ's shoulder, who slightly recoiled. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

Pepper sighed as he turned to face TJ, nervousness now blanketing the street racer's face. "Fox was a year older than you when he led that counterattack. I did not want to send the son of one of my closest friends head-first into a new war, but I had little choice. Peppy chaperoning him helped ease my mind a little bit, but there was always that possibility." Looking back at TJ, Peppy smiled. "Are you sure this is the life for you? It is a dangerous world you will be entering, far more dangerous than your previous life. You will not be dealing with police officers looking to arrest you for street racing if you go down this path, Tyler. Pirates, terrorists, and other mercenaries will all shoot to kill on sight more often than not. In fact, it is almost a guarantee. Surely there is something else you can do during your stay here? Perhaps an education? Cornerian universities are some of the finest learning institutions in Lylat. The Dean of Admissions is a personal friend of mine, I could easily acquire a full-ride scholarship for you."

TJ chuckled for a bit, confusing the hound. "You sound just like my mom, dude."

"Would you say she was incorrect?"

TJ paused, the smile gone from his face as he canvassed his mind for a response. "It's one of the last things she said to me. I... I don't know. Street racin's all I know. It's all I'm good at. An' it's all I really like doin'."

Pepper simply nodded to TJ's answer. A smile crossed his lips as he patted the young driver on the back. "Think it over. There's always a way forward." Pepper looked down at his watch and kept his smile while pointing towards the door. "In the meantime, I must prepare for Peppy's ceremony tomorrow. Take care of yourself out there, son."

TJ nodded in return, following Pepper's advice as he exited the room with a slight smile. Pushing past the large doors, TJ noticed Star Wolf conversing amongst themselves while Fox and Bill stood off to the side. Fox was the first to notice TJ exit the office, walking up to the street racer "So, how was meetin' Pepper?"

TJ scoffed. "Eh, he's a nice guy. Not much else to say, just tried to get me to give up drivin' s'all."

"And are you going to listen to him?"

"He told me to think about it. Said something about gettin' me a full ride to some fancy college."

Fox let an impressed whistle pass his lips. "Wow, that's a pretty good offer. It would be a smart move to take him up on that."

A grunt came from TJ, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made the noise. "Yeah, well I'm still thinkin' about it."

As a smile crossed TJ's lips, Fox checked his phone. Sucking air through his teeth, a grimace covered his face. "Uh oh…"

"Uh oh," TJ parroted with a raised brow. "Why uh-oh?"

"I don't think we're gonna make it Fara's in time."

"Is that gonna be a problem?"

"For you?" Fox said, before shaking his head. "No. For me?" Fox winced. "Let's just try to hurry."

TJ's eyes lit up at the end of the sentence before a devilish smirk crossed his lips. "Hurry, huh? I could do that for you."

Fox instantly shook his head with a smile. "We're not going to be racing to Fara's. Stay behind us, a slow drive could be good for your mind. Allow you to think for a bit."

~::::~

After a half-hour-long drive comprised of escaping the city streets and driving along more of Corneria's beautiful coastal highways, the SUV and the Viper pulled up to the Space Dynamics Research and Development Center. It was in the sticks, completely isolated and surrounded by rolling green hills. Corneria City was visible just over the mini mountains, the skyline of the city providing a beautiful backdrop. A large sign reading "Space Dynamics; Engineering Tomorrow, Today" greeted the group as they pulled into the drop-off semi-circle in front of the entrance. The main building had a rectangular shape, with multiple towers and transformers jutting out of the ground in the background. It looked like an engineer's playground, with the white color and glass structure giving an air of modernity and power.

As the group piled out of the SUV, three ships of unknown make buzzed overhead, with one that Fox seemingly recognized. "Oh please let that be Fara doing a test flight…" Fox silently prayed as he led the group down the smooth walkways leading up to the entrance, past the perfectly trimmed garden and immaculate shrubbery guiding their path. As Fox approached the entrance, the glass doors slid open, blasting the vulpine with a douse of cool air.

The foyer was spotless and modern. Reflective linoleum flooring, sharp designs on the furniture, and windows flanking the room. Much like their ship designs, the architecture brought an air of cutting edge to the room. The comfort and awe were instantly stripped away however, as Fox noticed that Fara was standing right by the receptionist's desk with a cheetah with thick-rimmed glasses dressed in a black suit and holding a clipboard. She gave off an impatient glare at the vulpine, tapping her foot against the linoleum floor loud enough for everyone to hear. A stained white t-shirt with a popular band's logo right in the center, dirty black cargo pants, and oily skater shoes clothed Fara's body. Betraying her blue-collar outfit, she pulled a diamond-crusted pocketwatch from her pants and checked it, frowning. "Fox McCloud, you are twelve minutes and thirty-six seconds late. Do you understand how much money you could have cost Space Dynamics if there was a serious meeting I had to attend?"

Fox chuckled, scratching the back of his neck with a bashful smirk. "Well, you didn't have any today."

"Last time I was late to a meeting, the shareholders immediately started betting on who would hold my position when I was discovered dead and maimed in the trunk of an old car."

Fox instantly fell silent, allowing TJ to jump in. Leaning over to Fox, a smug grin crossed his lips. "Told you. Shoulda let me drive you here." Fara's eyebrow arched as she picked up on what TJ said, placing her pocket watch back in her pants and eying him up and down. Her radar-dish ears rose up in front of his face, causing TJ to crane his neck down slightly at the fennec fox.

"So Fox, this is the alien you told me about? He doesn't look like much." She commented. Fox was about to speak up before TJ spoke first.

"Looks can be deceivin'. Just like you, short stuff." TJ shot back, a cocksure smirk on his face as he crossed his arms. Fara instantly narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brows, her massive ears pinning themselves to her head.

Before TJ had the chance to say any more stupid things, Fox quickly opened his mouth. "Sorry about that, Fara. He can be a bit… excitable."

Fara turned towards Fox with her eyes still narrowed. "I can tell." In another rapid-fire shift, Fara turned back to TJ, her ears back to their full height. "Has Fox told you about me?"

TJ shook his head.

"I'm Fara Phoenix, CEO of the Space Dynamics corporation. We make everything from flight suit insulation to the cutting edge of fighter craft technology." Pride beamed from Fara's oil-stained body as TJ nodded, a grin soon appearing as he took note of her last name.

"Y'know, I used Phoenix as a codename back home."

"Oh? And why's that?"

TJ shrugged. "I dunno, somethin' about this big-ass bird bein' brought back to life. Guy who gave me the idea for it said I reminded him of it."

Fara chuckled, looking TJ over like she was inspecting him for more flaws before turning back towards Fox. "You sure found yourself a winner here, Fox." Before TJ had the chance to be offended by the remark, Fara's smile was wiped off her face in an instant. Her ears dropped down once again as she noticed who was standing behind Bill. Quickly walking past TJ, Fox, and Bill, she stood face-to-chest with Wolf.

Murder was in her eyes as Wolf kept his arms crossed, his tail drooping low and his ears pressed against his head. He did not attempt to look Fara in the eye, instead letting only one word pass his lips. "Hey."

There was a tense silence in the room as Fara inspected the lupine up and down. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are that Fox and Bill are vouching for you?"

Wolf sighed. "I already got this speech from Pepper, Ears. I don't need it from you."

"I'm not talking about Pepper or the CDF," Fara snapped back.

"It wasn't my fault."

"Twelve years, and that's your best excuse?"

Wolf held his tongue, looking away from Fara as she tried to stare a hole through him. Eventually, Fara huffed and crossed her arms. "Let's just get this over with," Pointing the rest of Star Wolf, Fara jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "You three, follow me. I'll get you set up."

Before Fara began to walk away, Fox quickly stopped her. "Hey, do you want me and Bill to go with you?"

Fara shook her head. "I'll be fine. You go meet with Beltino and Slippy."

Without waiting for a response from Fox, Fara turned on her heels and walked through a sliding door with her advisor sticking to her massive tail. Star Wolf quickly followed, disappearing from sight as soon as the door closed.

Fox, Bill, and TJ were left standing alone in the foyer, prompting TJ to shove his hands into his pockets and rock back and forth on his feet. "So, can we go see Slippy now?"

Fox nodded, taking point as he and Bill led TJ through another sliding door and down a hall. Their footsteps echoed off the polished walls as they navigated the maze of a building. TJ took note of the various framed photos of ships, pilots, and corporate leaders hung in the halls as he continued the walk. Fox suddenly stopped in front of an unremarkable door, only distinguished by the nameplate on it.

Director of Science; B. Toad.

Without a second thought, Fox pushed the door open. Immediately, he was greeted with a series of various sci-fi gizmos littered around the place like a child throwing their toys around. TJ could not make heads or tails of any of the equipment, his attention constantly having to be refocused on Fox with each item he passed. With a whistle, Fox called out for Slippy at the opposite end of the room.

Stuck behind Fox and Bill as if he were a child stuck behind his parents, TJ peaked past them to notice Slippy and another green toad standing over a dirty desk littered with papers and equations written on them. In the center of the desk was the disk, with the other toad hovering over it. He was dressed in a dirty white lab coat with a pair of wide spectacles on his bulbous eyes and a pencil-thin mustache on his upper lip. A striped tie ran down the center of his dress shirt, stopping just at his rounded stomach. From what TJ could see of his pants and shoes, they were nothing more than simple slacks and slip-ons. "Ah, you must be TJ! A pleasure to meet you!" The plump toad began to motion TJ to come to the table, clearing a space for the street racer as he waved his arm.

Taking the cue, TJ stuffed his hands in his pockets as strutted up to the toad with a nod of his head. "Yeah, you too. Thanks for doin' this for me."

"No problem! When my son told me he discovered alien life, I just had to see it for myself! Er, no offense, of course."

"Yeah, none taken. So, what's up with this thing?"

Beltino quickly grabbed the disk with his gloved hands, spinning and rotating the burnt-out husk. "Well, it's quite an interesting piece of equipment. Slippy tells me you are not a space-faring people?"

"Besides some rocket launches to our moon, we're not."

Beltino nodded, running his eyes over the disk once more. "Well, I must say, this is some highly advanced technology you came into possession of. To cut to the chase, this is a rudimentary teleportation device. Back when teleportation was first tested in Lylat, the devices were powered by velocity. Once you hit a certain speed, the device would open a miniature wormhole for a split second." The smile on Beltino's lips turned into a puzzled stare as he looked between TJ and the disk. "But teleportation to an entirely different system is unheard of, especially for a prototype such as this. At most, you should have been moved to the next city over!"

"So you're sayin' I got real unlucky?"

"Unlucky enough to be a statistical impossibility, my dear boy!" Gently setting the disk down, Beltino leaned over the table towards his son, flicking his wrist vertically. "Slippy! Pull up the holomap, please!" As soon as his father uttered the command, Slippy was typing away on his wrist computer, before a holographic map blinked to life in front of the group.

Stars and systems littered the display, reflecting off of TJ's eyes as Beltino produced a wooden stick from the side of the table. Using the stick as a pointer, Beltino pointed to a specific swirl in the center of the map. "This galaxy is the home galaxy of the Lylat System, where we are now, of course." Moving his stick in a circular motion, TJ ran his eyes off of every tiny swirl on the map. "And these are the known galaxies to us. Billions of galaxies, hiding trillions of stars, each with its own solar system. Lylat is one of these trillions." Taking off his glasses, a solemn glare crossed Beltino's eyes. "This is more than just finding a needle in a haystack, TJ. It's finding an atom in a stadium."

TJ frowned, looking back at the series of swirls on the map. "Can't you just have some supercomputer analyze 'em all and find Earth like that?"

"Were it so easy, we would have done it by now. But the universe is a big place, and light can only travel so fast. We've mapped out countless solar systems, and while we have found numerous planets that fit the description of Earth, it is a false-positive."

"Why's that?"

"Again, light can only travel so fast. Those snapshots that we have been able to render are pictures from the planets millions or even billions of years ago. It's like looking back in time, and I am sure that your planet has not looked the same for millions of years, uninterrupted."

TJ sighed, rapping his fingers on the desk. "So that's a scientific way of sayin' I'm screwed, right?"

"Not exactly!" Holding up the disk, Beltino let a smile split his mouth open. "This disk has what we call "temporal residue." Holes in space-time are like snowflakes, each one is unique. Once we analyze it in our lab here, we can find where a matching hole was ripped in the universe, and use the Orbital Gate to reach it!"

"How long is that gonna take?"

"My team of researchers will be starting the process tonight. Give it a few weeks and we should have an exact location pinned down!"

"You serious?!"

"Absolutely!"

TJ let out a massive sigh of relief, a smile coating his face as he clapped his hands and shouted in a fit of joy. "Holy shit, thought I was gonna be stuck here forever! Thanks, man, you got no idea how good this feels!"

"Any time, dear boy! A friend of my son is a friend of mine!"

As TJ continued to celebrate, he paused, looking the older toad up and down. "Wait a sec, if you had the key to gettin' me home all prepped an' ready like that, why'd you tell me that shit would've been like findin' an atom in a stadium?"

"Suspense!" Slippy and TJ both cast their glares at Beltino, who simply gave off a hearty chuckle. Upon seeing that he was not getting laughs in return, Beltino slowly swatted the air as his smile faded. "Well anyway, I'll be getting the testing set up soon enough, so there are no worries there. I will keep my son posted on any and all updates."

Slippy returned a smile, tipping his cap to his father and thanking him. Turning to face Fox and Bill with TJ in tow, Slippy nodded. "My dad can handle things from here. Soon enough, we'll have a lock on Earth's location and use the Orbital Gate to open a wormhole directly to it!"

TJ chuckled as Slippy led the group out of the door, shoving his hands in his pockets with a cocksure smirk. "Gotta say, it's been a fun vacation. As long as we swing back to see the General for some diplomatic immunity before I head home, gonna need somethin' to smooth things over with the cops, y'know?"

Before anyone could reply, TJ walked right into an employee rounding the corner. With matching yelps, both of them stumbled back, with the worker quickly regaining her footing. "Oh shit, sorry 'bout that. You good?"

The worker, a female canine with blue-spotted fur, nodded as she tipped her Space Dynamics hat low. "All good, don't worry about it." As quickly as she appeared, she disappeared down the hall, causing the group to shrug her off as they continued their stroll through the building.

"So," Bill began, holding his own hand in front of him. "How do you think Fara's holding up?"

Fox snorted. "You're worried about Fara? I'd be worried about Wolf. For all I know, she's currently tanning his hide."

Bill let out a chuckle from his stomach, catching a few eyes as the group walked past the reception desk. "Y'know, I wouldn't put it past her. Who woulda thought that the big bad Wolf O'Donnell could be brought to his knees by Fara Phoenix of all people?"

"Anyone who's ever met her?" Slippy interjected, scanning his own personal badge on a door to grant the team entry to a restricted hallway.

~::::~

It was like looking at an exact replica. The Lupine Fang, restored to all its glory. With a fresh coat of paint, fully repaired systems, and stocked full of hardware, Wolf was feeling antsy on the ground. It was clear that Panther was feeling the same way, and Leon as well to a more subdued extent.

"Are the ships to your specifications?"

Wolf nodded, not even turning in Fara's direction despite the salty tone in her voice. "Oh yeah. It's perfect, Ears." There was a second of silence before Wolf instantly followed up the reply with a statement. "My boys and I are gonna take a test flight with these, make sure everything's copacetic."

Fara folded her arms, watching Wolf smack his ship's ladder down to the floor with a resounding clang. "You don't trust my engineers?"

"There ain't nothin' like a good field test!"

Wolf refused to listen to any more of Fara's words, instead climbing into the cockpit of his Wolfen and sealing the canopy over him. It was too long since he had gotten to sit down in his Wolfen, much less a brand-new one. The seats were not ripped, the air did not smell like cigars, and none of the screens or displays were cracked or transmitted static… yet. Looking around the cockpit, Wolf noticed a targeting scouter hanging off the central flight stick. Quickly affixing it to his right ear, Wolf smirked as the scouter's lens filled his vision. A few seconds later, he noticed Panther and Leon appear in his heads-up display, making him smirk. "You guys comfy?"

"Like I never left her, Boss."

"It is adequate."

"Alright, let's fly!"

Powering the engines on, the Wolfens began to blast air in all directions on the ground as they slowly took off, before flying in single file out of the hanger bay and into the clear open sky. A smile filled Wolf's face as he continued to climb, pulling a few maneuvers that came to him like muscle memory. The black and red craft rolled and flipped around the sky, with Panther and Leon testing out similar maneuvers. It was freedom once again.

Before Star Wolf could have any more fun, Fara appeared on the targeting scouter, a smug smirk on her lips. "You three seem like you're having fun up there, hm?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Mmm, yeah, I could… Oh, Wolf?"

"What's up, Ears?"

"Fly too far from Space Dynamics and your ships will shut down."

Wolf paused, his brain doing a loop at the same time as he came out of one. "What's gonna happen to my ship?"

"Well, we have not finalized the sale yet. As such, the immobilizers are still primed and ready to be activated as soon as you leave the area. What, did you really think I'd leave my property in the hands of someone like you? Someone famous for cutting and running at the drop of a hat?" Wolf snarled slightly at Fara's words, easing off the throttle as he took a wide curve in the sky. The smug smirk remained on her lips as she noticed Wolf's pout. "Have you completed your test flight?"

"Yeah, we're all done out here," Wolf grumbled.

"Excellent! Please return to the hanger as soon as possible for a final check and sale. Fara out."

As soon as Fara disappeared from the scouter, Wolf angled back towards the hanger with a snarl fully on his muzzle. "Alright boys, you heard Ears. Let's just get this shit over with…" The crew did not risk any more theatrics or stunts, instead taking a direct path to the hangar. Setting their ships down gently on the hanger floor, Wolf powered down his Wolfen, listening to the whine of the engine gradually silence itself. Popping his canopy top, Wolf climbed out and dropped to the hanger floor in a practiced crouch. He slowly rose to his feet, hiding the pain of the landing as he stood to his full height, waiting for Panther and Leon to flank him before continuing his walk.

Star Wolf soon came face to ears with Fara, however, her back was turned as she was talking to a visibly frustrated Fox. As Wolf approached, he could make out the ending of a conversation between the two.

"…nothing you can do to lower that a bit, Fara?"

"My employees worked their tails off for these ships, to the exact specifications mind you. I'm already being plenty generous with this deal, I will not go any lower."

Fox huffed before taking the tablet Fara had extended to him and placing the stylus in between his fingers. With another sigh and a wince, Fox signed his name before handing the tablet back to Fara. "Excellent! A pleasure doing business with you, Fox!"

"A pleasure being indebted to you yet again, Fara…"

"Oh, you are most welcome!"

Without even facing Wolf, Fara walked off with the tablet in her arms, her hips adding extra joyful sway to them as she walked away with Fox's hard-earned money. All Fox could do was take a deep breath as he watched his coffers be plundered by five feet of fury. Finally noticing Wolf, Fox wiped the wince from his face and smiled. "Well, you've got your ships back. They're alright with you?"

Wolf narrowed his eye, crossing his arms as he did so. "What's your game here, McCloud?"

Fox cocked his head to the side. "What are you talking about?"

"You just dropped who knows how many credits on our ships. Our ships. That's millions of credits you could hang over our heads, and yet you're not. No one's that dumb by accident."

A sigh came deep from Fox's gut, contrasting with the smile he held on his lips. "You've already got Pepper wanting daily updates on you, the CDF eying you like a meal ticket, and you're just a week removed from an assassination attempt. I'm not gonna hang a debt over your head after all that." Before Wolf could say anything else, Fox beat him to the punch. "Now come on, we gotta get back to the Great Fox, Peppy's ceremony is tomorrow, and he wants us there bright and early."

Wolf snorted, crossing his arms with narrowed eyes. "What, you're givin' me a curfew now, pup?"

His answer was a single word from Fox.

"Yes."

Panther and Leon could feel Wolf's blood pressure rise suddenly before the lupine closed his eye and took a deep breath. As soon as his eye reopened, Wolf took a look at both of his wingmen and sighed. "Come on, we're moving out."

"I have to say," Leon began, his own scowl hidden beneath layers of stoicism. "This feels too easy. Why is McCloud trusting us?" Staring directly into Wolf's eye, Leon's stare could cut through a CDF Frigate. "Why is McCloud trusting you?"

Wolf paused for a second, looking Leon in his eyes before turning to Fox. He was saying something to TJ, an amused smile on his muzzle as the kid pointed to the various ships around the hanger bay. "The pup and I have history. Complicated history."

~::::~

"C'mon, Wolf! We gotta go, the game starts soon!" Fox's whiny voice filled the air as he tugged at the teenage lupine's sweatpants. What he was oblivious to was the fact that Wolf had just come back from a two-hour sparring session with his father, and was sore all over. He could barely raise an arm to swat away the energy-filled vulpine, let alone stop him from tugging on his pants. His saving grace was the room the two canines currently shared. It was technically Wolf's barracks, but the lupine always let Fox crash on the couch when training would run late and school had him drained. The two kept the room as clean as possible, leaving their shoes by the doorway and cleaning up messes if any were made. The more time the two spent together, the closer they felt as brothers, despite the age and race difference.

"Pup, can you gimme five? Your dad did a number on me," Wolf moaned, hoping to calm the vulpine down. It did the opposite, as the tugging increased. Annoyed by the tugging, Wolf shoved Fox away with his foot, his tired mind unaware of what he just started. With a child-like chuckle, Fox jumped on top of Wolf and began trying to move into position for a submission as the two would usually do. Whenever Fox would jump on the lupine, Wolf would quickly take the vulpine down as his age and skill far outweighed Fox. However, his broken body couldn't prevent the vulpine from somehow quickly locking in a choke. The kid was quick on his feet, and it didn't help that he was basically untouchable as he trampled the older lupine.

Frustrated, annoyed, and hurting even more, Wolf was about to tap, before a devious idea crossed his mind. Fox began to giggle even more as he tightened the choke, only to feel Wolf suddenly go limp beneath his arm. The vulpine paused for a moment, keeping the choke in tight before his ears began to droop and his tail go between his legs. "Wolf? Wolf, are you okay?" He asked with a shaky voice. He didn't get a response. "W-wolf?! Hey, answer me!" He shouted, letting the choke go and shaking the lupine with misty eyes. Fox thought that he had killed Wolf, and it was becoming harder for the lupine to not break from character.

Fox pried one of Wolf's eyes open, and Wolf did his hardest to stare straight ahead and keep his muzzle slightly ajar to give the impression that he was dead. He was really holding back his laughter as hard as he could, and it was one of the most challenging things he had ever done.

Just as tears were about to spill over Fox's eyes, Wolf suddenly shot his foot out and kicked Fox square in the chest, knocking the shocked vulpine to the ground. Before Fox could react, Wolf dropped his knee on his stomach and held his bases, pinning the vulpine without a chance of getting up. "Get off me, you big jerk!" Fox exclaimed, trying to push Wolf off of him through misty eyes. Wolf didn't seem to care, as he adjusted his mohawk with a grin.

"Ah ah ah, what's the magic word?" Wolf asked, flashing his growing canine fangs. Fox simply scowled and folded his arms.

"I thought I really hurt you..." Fox squeaked out. Wolf scoffed and took his knee off of Fox's chest before rubbing the young vulpine's mohawk.

"Relax, I was just playin' a little prank on ya. I just didn't wanna tap for the hundredth time today." Wolf

With that news, Fox's smile returned as he sat next to Wolf and let his tail bat against the carpeting. "Then that makes it Fox four, Wolf... uh..." Fox began counting on his fingers and doing mental math before Wolf stopped him with a low chuckle.

"Two-hundred-eighty-five. I kept track." He answered with a smirk

"Nuh-uh! You're just making that up!" Fox whined with a smirk in a similar fashion to Wolf's.

"Whatever you say, dork."

"I'm not a dork!"

"Sure about that? 'Cause your dad told me all about your love of Super Ninja Space Rangers. All the t-shirts, figures, and posters he's bought you, I'm surprised he ain't broke."

"Miyu likes that show too, and she can kick your butt!"

"Oh I'm sure she can. I'm literally quaking in my boots."

"You're not even wearing your boots!"

"That's the joke, pup."

Fox huffed with a slight smile still present, and Wolf kept his smile as well with the young vulpine's pouting. "Look, just lemme get ready and we'll head out. Those games don't even start till ten minutes after the start time anyway, so we're fine," the lupine replied, walking across his barracks to change into clothes that didn't make him smell like a walking gym.

After grabbing a change of street clothes, Wolf walked out of his room to notice Fox putting his sneakers on by the entrance with a wide grin, ready to sprint to the stadium if he could. Wolf chuckled as he walked over with his paws in his pockets, before looking down at the vulpine. "You got everythin' you need?" Wolf asked.

"Mm hm!" Fox replied, finishing up by putting his last shoe on.

"So you've got your wallet too, right?" Wolf asked with a smile as he grabbed his boots, already knowing the answer. Fox confirmed the lupine's suspicions as his eyes went wide before slapping his paws around all of his pockets. He came up with nothing and sighed, before running over to the couch with his shoes still on, making Wolf nurture a growl. "Hey, we made that no-shoes rule a thing for a reason, pup!" He exclaimed. Fox waved him off, before rummaging through the couch and finding his bright red wallet. He grabbed the wallet and ran back to Wolf, who had put his boots on and was waiting by the door.

"Alright, now I've got everything!" Fox exclaimed, throwing the door open before colliding straight into someone's chest. Stumbling back, Fox looked up to notice it was an older tan-furred male vulpine. He was dressed in a dark green flight suit and cream-white jacket with a red bandanna tied neatly around his neck. Fox could see himself in the man's mirrored sunglasses, making his tail go nuclear.

"Hi, Dad!" Instantly, Fox hugged his father's waist. James McCloud chuckled and removed his sunglasses, his milky white eyes staring down at the young vulpine.

"You and Wolf are headed out?" James asked, looking over to notice the teenage lupine standing at attention.

"Yup! We're gonna go see the Missiles go up against the Bullsharks!" Fox shouted back at deafening volume. James chuckled and pat the young vulpine on the head, before crouching down to his height.

"And you've got your wallet, right?" James asked with a smirk as if he already knew the answer as well. Before Fox could defend himself, Wolf jumped in.

"He almost lost it in the couch again, sir," The lupine answered, standing at attention with his posture straight and hands clasped behind his back. James chuckled as he stood up from his crouched position and slapped the lupine on the back, before resting his paw on the kid's shoulder.

"You're not being watched by those jarheads right now, pup. No need to be so formal," James said, causing Wolf to slowly drop his pose with a nod and a smile. James looked down at his son and took notice of him tugging on the lupine's jeans with fervor. "Alright, you two be safe now. Don't go getting lost in the city and keep your phone on, Fox." James warned. Fox nodded and saluted his father, making the elder vulpine chuckle as he rubbed his son's mohawk.

"I'll get him home safe, Mr. McCloud," Wolf interjected, keeping one eye on the vulpine. James patted Wolf's shoulder with a smirk before giving him a two-fingered salute, letting the two go free.

The canines walked through the base, their ears picking up on almost every little mechanical whir and whistle surrounding them. The two quickly made their way over to the train station meant for military personnel to easily get in and out of the city and back to base as fast as possible. At this time of night, however, the trains were bound to be packed with troops looking to blow off as much steam as possible in the city, prompting Wolf to make sure that the young vulpine was as close to him as possible.

As the two trudged along the path to the station, Wolf felt a tug on his jacket. "Hey, Wolf?" Fox asked, looking up at the lupine. "You think when I'm older, I can join you and my dad in Star Fox?" The young vulpine asked with hopeful glee.

Wolf smirked as the two continued their walk, brushing by other soldiers as they continued their walk to the train. "What makes you think I'm Star Fox material, pup?" The lupine asked, keeping his paws in his pockets.

"I've seen you fly, you can definitely do it! And then when I get good, I'll be there with you, Peppy, Mr. Lynx, Mr. Toad, and Dad!" Fox exclaimed, his tail causing a tornado behind him.

Wolf scoffed before he noticed the hopeful eyes of the vulpine. "Heh, maybe. You still got a ways to go though, pup." Wolf chuckled as the two began to descend the stairs and down to the station, the trains in the station already making quite a commotion.

Fox suddenly jumped onto Wolf's back and locked his arms around him like a seatbelt, while the lupine took hold of the vulpine's legs. "Watch, Wolf! I'll be the best pilot in the system, even better than my dad! Then we'll all go on awesome adventures and be like superheroes to everyone!" He blurted out, making Wolf chuckle.

"Sure your parents are okay with us being superheroes?" The lupine asked, prying a giggle from Fox.

"Yeah, they would! We'd be the coolest guys in the universe!" The vulpine exclaimed once more, his excited prophecy echoing off the walls as the two boarded the nearest train.